1840 Census of Jefferson County

The first census ever taken in Jefferson County in 1840 found a total of 914 white inhabitants living here. Not surprisingly pioneer men outnumbered the women by a three to two ratio. It was also a land of the young as only 24 of the 536 males in the county were over the age of 50.

The townships with the greatest population in 1840 were Aztalan and Jefferson, followed by Watertown, Finch Township as the Koshkonong area was then called, and then Hebron.

By the 1850 census the population of Jefferson County had ballooned to over 15,000 – this from just 914 ten years earlier! And Aztalan, which had so many early settlers, now fell by the wayside as the northern area of Watertown and Waterloo took over the population lead.

This historic document aired on the radio as an Historic Minute on 12/01/2003.